The meeting was the first of a series of hearings throughout the state to generate ideas for Democratic gaming-panel members to determine the future of gaming and, perhaps, horse racing in New Jersey.
The hearing focused exclusively on reviewing the plan announced by Christie on July 21 to overhaul Atlantic City. The plan is based on recommendations by a state commission that Christie assembled to revitalize South Jersey's biggest economic engine: its struggling casinos.
It calls for the creation of a state-controlled Atlantic City Tourism District, streamlining casino regulations, keeping all gaming revenue collected by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority in Atlantic City, and better marketing of the city as a brand, among other things.
Many of the recommendations need legislative approval.
"We are in a race here to save Atlantic City," said Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D., Gloucester).
About 300 people attended the hearing, mostly in the early part of the day to hear casino experts and economists.
There was a hard-to-miss tension between the northern and southern halves of the state, both among the panel members and their line of questioning, and with applause in the audience.
The vast majority of the room was filled with construction and trades workers, whose leaders lamented the loss of casino construction jobs and the dearth of new investment in Atlantic City and the Meadowlands.
"In one word, abysmal is how I would describe it," testified Michael Capelli, of the New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters. "My guys are facing upwards of 30 percent unemployment."
